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Climbers Partner with LDS Church on Stewardship of Little Cottonwood Canyon Climbing

June 1st, 2017:The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance (SLCA), the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and Access Fund announce the signing of an unprecedented lease for 140 acres in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC). The parcel, known as the Gate Buttress, is about one mile up LCC canyon and has been popular with generations of climbers because of its world-class granite.

The agreement secures legitimate access to approximately 588 routes and 138 boulder problems at the Gate Buttress for rock climbers, who will be active stewards of the property. The recreational lease is the result of several years of negotiations between LDS Church leaders and the local climbing community.

Access Note: The climbs on the Church Buttress above the vault that have been traditionally closed will remain closed. Please help us steward this area and leave no trace.

Description

This is a superb way to start Schoolroom, but it is much harder than anything else on that route. Climb the steep gorgeous finger and hand crack about 40' right of the regular Schoolroom start. At the end of the crack, a few spooky moves left on friction gain the regular route. I didn't think this was very R rated, but it wouldn't be fun to fall on the insecure friction moves.

This is a Good way to start schoolroom. There is one hard move at the bottom that protects well with a stoper then a nice slab move that is not hard up higher. If I do this variation I set up a belay about 15 feet past the top of the big chimney and let my second have the nice fun finger crack on the second pitch.
Jul 22, 2004

This variation seemed preferable to the original, perambulatory 5.6 line. It is a little spooky to traverse out onto the face with your last piece of pro below your feet, but two moves gets you to a bomber, dinner plate sized chicken head. After gaining that chicken head, it looked like you could place a small cam into a crack. I'm guessing it would be maybe 15 feet between pieces? From there, you are into the gully and back on Schoolroom.
Oct 15, 2004

The lower crack is well protected with a spot of 5.7, and the slab is insecure 5.7 that is definitely R rated. Your last pro is well below your feet and a fall would be ugly. After a few thin moves, you can get a good small cam in a finger-sized crack before rejoining the regular Schoolroom route.
Oct 19, 2004

Pro doesn't have to be way below your feet. There is a great nut or pink tricam righ in the block you stand on before the R moves, just runner it long, and slab away! Great thought provovking move. Seen this stymie hard sport climbers! trust those feet it's LCC!
May 24, 2005

I don't think it's R. The gear is just a few feet below your feet when you make the slab traverse. Some creative use of the big flat chickenhead eliminated a slab move or two for me. This is a much better way to start schoolroom than the pointless block scramble and downclimb/traverse of schoolroom.
Nov 5, 2008

The R is for the slab traverse to gain the arcing crack left of the 1st pitch. Note this is the best way to string the first few pitches of school room together. You can link pitches 1-3 this way. making your time up on the school room much shorter if time is your enemy.
May 24, 2009

Couple of finger locks and foot jams will do the trick here. First time up this I ran into a whole load of bees just below the runout section. Is there a rating to incorporate bees? Like 'B'?
Oct 9, 2010

This isn't quite a runout climb (can we make a 1/2R rating?) since you're never really too high above your gear at the crux. Though if you fell on the easier terrain before the crack then you could get seriously hurt. I agree with Woodson, more bold than hard. One of the key knobs is greased with chalk making the move feel harder than 5.7.

Found a tick on my backpack at the base of the climb, so be careful.
Jul 4, 2011

Totally better way to start; but not a great line to start leading on. The opening crack is a gimme, but yeah, the slab moves are a little committing. Could be a bit nerve wracking for a first time trad leader.
Apr 11, 2013

I felt the runout section is PG13 in actual distance but the hurt factor from a slip would probably be equivalent to an R rating nonetheless. The slab requires a couple moves of commitment then, yes, you can get a very good small cam in a crack to protect the rest.
May 1, 2013